Peppered moth
During the industrial era, a black form of this moth became common in polluted areas because it was better camouflaged on soot darkened bark than the speckled form.
| Where | Woodland, gardens and towns |
|---|---|
| Size | 45 to 62 mm wingspan |
| When | May to August |
The peppered moth has pale wings finely speckled with black, though some individuals are entirely sooty black. It rests flat against tree bark with its wings spread out and a stout, furry body.
One generation flies from May to August over woodland, gardens and towns, and its caterpillars resemble twiggy stems as they feed on birch, oak and hawthorn. The dark form spread widely during periods of heavy air pollution, then declined again once air quality improved.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Black, White
Active
Night
To people
Attracted to light; harmless to people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Similar in size at about 40 to 56 mm wingspan, but the Oak Beauty has two brown cross bands and rests with its wings swept further back, without the fine black speckling of the Peppered moth.
Questions
Is the Peppered moth dangerous to people?
Attracted to light; harmless to people.
When can you see the Peppered moth?
The Peppered moth can be seen from May to August, at night.
Plate retouched from a photo by Didier Descouens, CC BY‑SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons Licence
The plate on this page is shared under the same licence as its source, CC BY-SA.
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Butterflies and moths›Geometer moths›Biston
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.